Washington Archdiocese says 27 priests in 56 years accused of abuse

Published: 2003-11-13

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Washington Nov. 7 issued statistics on clergy sexual abuse, reporting that in the past 56 years 27 out of 1,056 priests serving in the archdiocese have been accused of sexual misconduct with minors, with one of those priests exonerated. That figure represents about 2.5 percent of the number of Washington priests in the past half-century. The archdiocese also reported that in that time period 119 people have come forward with allegations that priests had sexually abused them when they were minors. The archdiocesan statement noted that 85 percent of the allegations reportedly occurred before 1980, and about half of the allegations were first reported to the archdiocese after 1994. "There is no priest in ministry in the Archdiocese of Washington who has had a credible allegation made against him," the report said. "The priests involved have died, resigned from the priesthood, been laicized or are no longer in active ministry." In addition, the report noted that clergy sexual abuse has cost the archdiocese a total of $4.3 million in its 56-year history.

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